The premise of The Endowment Project seems simple: help public high schools create, fund and manage endowments (essentially, long-term savings that earn investment returns). People give money to schools all the time, right? Someone is always trying to sell me cookies, candy, wrapping paper, car wash tickets and the like. Researching the idea, however, showed that fundraisers are very different from raising funds on a large scale, and while private schools often ask parents and graduates for donations, public schools do not. Special Projects Editor Claire Fortier talked with the local team behind The Endowment Project to learn what inspired them and why public schools need private donations (P. 66).
Another simple-sounding idea is underway at the Richmond Ballet. After 44 years at the organization’s helm, founding artistic director Stoner Winslett is retiring and transitioning the leadership to Ma Cong, currently the assistant artistic director and Winslett’s hand-picked successor. What could be a seismic change at one of Richmond’s premier arts organizations is instead a smooth evolution that has been developing for a decade. Senior Writer Harry Kollatz Jr. shares a retrospective of Winslett’s accomplishments and the expectations for Ma’s governance for the beloved institution (P. 82).
Speaking of beloved, I had no idea how seriously Richmonders take their coffee until I tallied the number of local roasters and coffee shops Food Editor Eileen Mellon included in this issue’s themed overview: 30! And most of them are in the city proper — the list would be far longer if we had space to include the many java joints in the counties. Mellon and her team share superior sips, best bites, remarkable roasters, top trivia and more beginning on Page 72.
Elsewhere in the issue, we hear from the newest member of Richmond City Council; find out about family-friendly Easter celebrations, a clay convention and an ownership change at The Camel; meet one of the world’s strongest women as well as volunteers who preserve old trains; sample deviled eggs; and more. Plus, you’ll find our annual Summer Camp Guide on Page 91. Enjoy!
